Separable carpenter s square



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS C. LABADY, OF TACOMA, IVASIIINGTON. v

SEPARABLE CARPENTERS SQUARE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,665, dated February 9, 1892.

Application filed March 11, 1891. Serial No. 384,696. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS O. LABADY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Jarpenters Squares; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in carpenters squares, having for its object to render the members or parts of the square readily separable, whereby it can be compactly folded or stored for convenience in carrying it in the pocket or otherwise transporting the same in quantities, and at the same time adapting said parts to be readily and securely united without impairing the accuracy of the angle or the qualities of the device which adapt it for use as a measurin g-instrument.

To these ends my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter disclosed, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a plan view of my improved carpenters square. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof, and Figs. III and IV are edge or side views of the respective members of the same.

In the embodiment of the invention Iform the instrument or square of two separable parts or members A B in their general outline of the usual arrangement and construction. The member or part A has near one end a dovetailed recess or mortise a, preferably tapering somewhat laterally toward its outer side edge, and secured to and let into said member or part flush with its outer surface is a spring-catch Z), having an angular free end I) located in said mortise or recess. The springcatch b has its free or angular end bnormally standing slightly away from the bottom of the recess or mortise a; but it is adapted to be depressed by the application of pressure thereto through the thumb or finger, for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. The member or part B may be about half the thickness of the part A, and it is sufficiently narrowed in width at one end, as at c, and made dovetail in cross-section thereat, as at c to adapt it to fit the mortise or recess a in the member or part A and In the under side of the reduced or narrowed portion 0 of the member B is a notch (Z, so arranged that when the two members A B have been put together and are brought in proper relative position it will be automatically engaged by the free angular end of the spring detent or catch h, and the parts will thereby be automatically locked together.

In order to separate the parts or members of the tool or square it is only necessary to press with the thumb or finger upon the spring catch or detent b and disengage its angular end from the notch d, when the reduced and tapered end of the member or part B may be withdrawn from the mortise in the part or member A.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A carpenters square having its men1- bers or parts fitted together by a dovetail mortise, substantially as described, and held together by a spring catch or detent on. one part and a shoulder on the other part engaged by said catch or detent, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A carpenters square consisting of two parts fitted together by a dovetail joint and secured by means of a spring-catch, which consists of a spring secured to one part and provided with an angular end free to move transversely to the part to which it is secured and a notch or depression in the other member into which ,said angular end is adapted to engage.

The carpenters square having one member provided with a dovetailed mortise or recess near one end and with a spring catch or detent with its free end arranged in said mortise or recess, and the other member provided with a reduced dovetailed portion having a notch in its side, substantially as described.

LOUIS C. LABADY.

Witnesses: L

A. G. AVERY, J. B. BRIDGES.

IOO 

